By JAMIE ZACCARIA
Starring Jana Balkan, Vincenzo Tosetto and Paolo Rozzi
Directed by Luca Caserta
Written by Luca Caserta (adapted from the short story by Stephen King)
Nuove Officine Cinematografiche
THE REACH is an example of how themes of horror, fear and grief are shared across region and culture. It’s also an example of how to turn a short story into a short film without going over the top. Filmmaker Luca Caserta adapts Stephen King’s poignant Maine-based story (collected in his 1985 anthology Skeleton Crew), placing it on a cozy northern Italian island.
Hewing close to King’s story, Jana Balkan plays Stella, the oldest woman on Goat Island. She has never crossed “The Reach,” a body of water separating the tiny isle from the mainland, choosing instead to stay ensconced in her small community. Stella is surrounded by friends and family on the island and seems perfectly happy, but as her health wanes, ghostly voices and memories from the past may be tempting her to take one last adventure.
Less of a horror film and more of a gothic musing on life and death, THE REACH is spectacular. Balkan is absolutely engaging as she invites the audience into this intimate tale. The use of color (spot the red) and religious imagery (the Not-So-Last Supper) really hammers home the traditional lifestyle Stella lived her whole life.
With themes of isolation, death, and memory, “The Reach” allows its story to do the work and uses subtlety to its advantage. While it’s an obvious metaphor, it’s still a beautiful one. The soundtrack’s use of Bruce Springsteen’s “Moonlight Motel” plays perfectly with this tale of the fear of dying – and the fear of staying behind.
Watching this adaptation is part entertainment and part emotional rollercoaster. It’s a beautiful, well-made story that invites its audiences to reconcile with their own fate. It’s no wonder that Stephen King himself called the film “a lovely piece of work.”
THE REACH is currently on the festival circuit and has already garnered more than 60 awards and nominations.
